Dawn Prayers

Parents

The time is at hand when whatsoever lieth hid in the souls and the hearts of men will be disclosed.
O Lord, in this Dispensation, Thou dost accept the intercession of children on behalf of their parents.
Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablets… He that bringeth up his son, or the son of another, is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine.
It is incumbent on the father and mother to train their children in good conduct and the study of books.
O Thou Forgiving God, forgive the sins of my loving mother. Pardon her shortcomings. Cast her upon the glance of Thy gracious providence.
I beg of Thee to wash away our sins as befitteth Thy Lordship, and to forgive me, my parents, and those who, in Thy estimation, have entered the abode of Thy love in a manner that is worthy of Thy transcendent sovereignity.
It is seemly that the servant should, after each prayer, supplicate God to bestow mercy and forgiveness and mercy upon his parents.
Let the mothers consider that whatever concerneth the education of children is of the first importance…for when the bough is green and tender, it will grow in whatever way you train it.
No God is there save Thee, the Ewver Forgiving, the Most Generous.

As I tend to my garden, I am reminded of the sanctuary and beauty of life.

From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity, give me to drink, O my God. And of the fruits of the tree of Thy Being, enable me to taste, O my Hope.
It behooveth the people of Baha'i to die to the world and all that is therein, to be so detached from all earthly things that the inmates of Paradise may inhale, from their garment, the sweet smelling savor of sanctuary.
Heavenly Father, as I tend to my garden, I am reminded of the sanctuary and beauty of life.
O my God, O my God! Unite the hearts of thy servants and reveal to them Thy great purpose.
Baha'i gardens are designed to be both esthetically striking and charged with meaning.
At the gate of the garden, some stand, and look within, but do not care to enter. Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far…  But there are always some who enter, and become intoxicated with the splendor of what they behold, and remain for life to tend the garden.
Waft, then, unto me, O my God, and my Beloved, from the right hand of Thy mercy and loving kindness, the holy breaths of Thy favor, that they may draw me away from myself, and from the world, unto the courts of Thy nearness. Thou truly hast been supreme over all things.
O Lord! Cause this sapling to become verdant, fresh and flourishing by the outpourings of Thy special bounty and favor.
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, its all about learning how to dance in the rain.
O God, verily we have gathered here in the fragrance of thy love.
 

The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering

The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. Just as the plow furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulations free man from heavy affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at the state of cmplete detachment. Look back at times past and you will find  that the greatest men have suffered most. To attain eternal happiness, one must suffer.
Hence do ye witness a new stirring throughout all created things. See how, in this day, the scope of sciences and arts have been widened out, and what woundrous technical advances have been made, and to what a high degree the mind’s powers have increased, and what stupendous inventions have appeared.
O Son of the Wondrous Vision! I have breathed within thee a breath of My own Spirit. 
Do ordain that my choice be conformed to thy choice and my wish to Thy wish, that I may be entirely content with that which Thou dost desire, and be wholy satisfied with that which Thou dost destine for me by Thy bounteousness and favor.
I ask of Thee, by Thy most given name, O Thou, the Desire of the World, the well-beloved of mankind, to grant that the breeze of Thy inspiration may susain my soul.
Let my heart be dilated with the joy through the spirit of confirmation from Thy Kingdom.
 
O Son of Spirit! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hath abased thyself. Rise, then, unto that for which thou was created.
O Thou Provider! Thou hast breathed over the friends of the West the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit, and with the light of divine guidance Thou hast lit the Western sky.
Whoso reciteth this prayer with lowliness and fervor, will bring gladness and joy to the heart of this servant. It will be even as meeting Him face to face.

Promote ...devotion to God in this world of non-existence.

Graciously look upon Thy servant, humble and lowly at Thy door… and immerse him in Thy eternal grace.
Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties. Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly thankful.
Deliver your souls, O people, from the bondage of self.
Cheer Thou his spirit by revealing unto him Thy manifest splendors.
You have heard the call of the Kingdom. Your eyes are open…Your purpose is the good pleasure of God.
O Lord, make these faces radiant through the light of thy oneness.
Be a refuge to the fearful. Bring ye rest and peace to the disturbed.
Blessed is the house that attained unto My tender mercy, wherein My remembrance is celebrated.
Bless us with love, O merciful God.
Illumine my inner being, O my Lord.

Take time to be holy

O thou who art tested with a great calamity, be not grieved, be not troubled because of the loss which hath befallen thee. 
In the world of existence, man hath traversed successive degrees, until he has attained the human kingdom.
Take time to be holy. The word does not mean goody-goody. It means, set apart for sacred use.
Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy.
I implore Thee, O thou who art the Supreme Ordainer, not to suffer me to be deprived of the breezes which are wafted in Thy days.
O Thou, whose face is the object of my adoration…
By what means can man acquire these things?

With a glance, He healeth a hundred thousand incurable ills

Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone … with a glance, He healeth 100,000 incurable ills.
Assist Thy people to turn in the direction of Thy manifold bounties.
When the science of medicine reaches perfection, the treatment will be foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold tinctures.
There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means.
Thy mercy to me is my healing in both this world and the world to come.
O Befirended Stranger! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion.

Ridvan

Ridvan is a twelve-day festival that commemorates the Baha’u’llah's time spent in the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad, in 1863. He declared His Prophetic Mission to His followers and announced His station as the Promised One of all religions. It was the beginning of the New Era of humanity.

Loss and Progression

O thou who art tested with a great calamity, be not grieved, be not troubled because of the loss which hath befallen thee…Separation elongeth to the characteristics of the bod.
In the world of existence, man has traversed successive degrees, until he has attained the human kingdom. In each degree of his progression, he has developed capacity for advancement to the next station and condition.
Take time to be holy. It does no mean goody-goody. It means set apart for sacred use.
Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy.
I implore Thee, O Thou who art the Supreme Ordainer, not to suffer me to be deprived of the breezes which are wafted in Thy days.
O Thou, whose face is the object of my adoration, whose beauty is my sanctuary, whose habitation is my goal… I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants. 
By what means can man attain these things? How shall he obtain these merciful gifts and powers?

The Hidden Treasure

Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee.
Know thou that there are two kinds of happiness, spiritual and material. As to material happiness, it never exists. 
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my hope.
O ye lovers of the one true God, strive that ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe befittingly his precepts.
Lauded be thy name, O Lord my God. I testify that Thou wast a hidden treasure, wrapped within Thy immemorial being.
O Thou forgiving God, these servants are turning to Thy kingdom and seeking Thy grace and bounty.
O Son of Light! Forget all save Me, and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command.

Justice

Know verily, that the essence of justice, and the source thereof, are both embodied in the ordinances prescribed by Him who is the Manifestation of the Self of God amongst men.
O Son of Justice! Whither can a lover go but to the land of his beloved?
O My Friends! Walk ye in the good pleasure of the ways of the friends and know that His pleasure is in the pleasure of His creatures.
O People of the Earth! Know ye that justice consisteth of innumerable degrees and incalculable meanings.
Since Thou hast revealed Thy grace, O my God, deter not Thy servants from directing their eyes toward it.
Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner.
Whoso cleavers to justice can under no circumstances transgress the limits of moderation. 
O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is justice…Verily justice is My gift to Thee, and a sign of my lovingkindness.
Justice is vital to the establishment of unity and harmony at all levels of society, as it provides the standard of individual conduct and collective effort are judged.